1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable table tennis table which can be folded into a compact unit for easy movement and storage and which can be shipped from the factory in a compact form in packaging with a minimum profile. The present invention can also be easily assembled by the customer by hand without the need for any tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Foldable table tennis tables are well known in the art. It has long been recognized that it is desirable to have a table tennis table which is foldable into a more compact, easily moved and easily stored configuration. However, prior art foldable table tennis tables have a number of deficiencies which have detracted from their desirability. Many of the prior art foldable table tennis tables have complex structure which is expensive to fabricate and difficult to assemble, particularly by a retail customer who may not have the necessary tools for proper assembly. Such prior art tables typically must be shipped in large, bulky containers which take up substantial space in storage and in transit thereby increasing the shipping costs. For example, some of the prior art foldable table tennis tables such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,149-Kruissink, U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,269-Kinn and U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,304-Fihe disclose foldable table tennis tables having a relatively complex welded wheel support unit which is both expensive to fabricate and difficult to package and ship to a customer. Additionally, prior art foldable table tennis tables of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,957-Dadbeh have a relatively complex structure with a wide wheel base which makes it more expensive to manufacture and more difficult to store in confined spaces.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a collapsible table tennis table which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate, easily packaged and shipped in a compact, minimally sized package, easily assembled by the customer by hand without the need of any tools and is foldable into a relatively compact arrangement which is easily stored in a minimal amount of space.
The present invention provides a foldable table tennis table which is capable of being fabricated without the necessity for welding or other expensive labor intensive operations, which can be boxed and shipped to the customer in a compact, minimal profile package and which can be assembled easily and quickly by the customer by hand without the need for tools. Such a table in accordance with the present invention is typically partially assembled at the factory so that the various members requiring tools for assembly are attached at the factory leaving only minimal assembly without tools by the customer. Due to the unique design, the preassembled parts are folded into a relatively flat configuration and the remaining parts are capable of being shipped in a similar flat configuration so that very compact, minimal profile packaging is required for shipment.
A foldable table tennis table in accordance with the present invention comprises first and second unitary curvilinear member formed of a single piece of material such that each has a first lower portion and a first and second upwardly extending supporting portions. The supporting portions have first and second ends with the first ends being integrally joined to the lower portion. The first and second curvilinear members are joined together by first and second connecting members connected between the first and second curvilinear members to form a rigid central support unit. An additional connecting member may be connected between the respective lower portions of the first and second curvilinear members. First and second table portions each having an upper and lower surface, a center edge and an outer edge and two opposing side edges are respectively pivotably connected to the central support unit at the second ends of the supporting portions of the first and second curvilinear members adjacent the center edge of the first and second table portions.
Thus, the first and second table portions can be pivoted from an essentially horizontal playing position where the center edges of the table portions are in close proximity to one another to an essentially vertical position for movement and storage. The present invention is designed so that the outer edges of the first and second table portions are essentially parallel and slightly closer together than the inner edges of the first and second table portions when the table portions are pivoted to their essentially vertical position so that it is less likely that the table portions will accidentally pivot back to a horizontal position during movement and storage.
The foldable table tennis table in accordance with the present invention also has at least one first and at least one second exterior leg member attached to the lower surface of the first and second table portions respectively adjacent the outer edge of the first and second table portions. The first and second exterior leg members are typically pivotably attached to the respective first and second table portions so that the exterior leg members can be folded against the lower surface of the first and second table portions respectively or pivoted until they are essentially perpendicular to the table portion. The first and second exterior leg members, when pivoted perpendicular to the table portions, contact the floor to support the first and second table portions in an essentially horizontal position. A connecting member may be pivotably connected between the first curvilinear member and the first exterior leg member, and another connection member pivotably connected between the second curvilinear member and the second exterior leg member in such a manner such as to cause the first and second leg members to be automatically pivoted against the lower surface of the respective table portions as the table portions are pivoted from the essentially horizontal position to the essentially vertical position.
The first exterior leg member may comprise first and second extensions each pivotably attached at one end to the first table portion. A detachable unitary curvilinear support member can be detachably connected to the other ends of the first and second extensions to provide a leg member that will extend and contact the floor and support the table portions in an essentially horizontal position. The unitary curvilinear support member may be detached to facilitate shipping of the table in a compact package with a minimal profile. Similarly, the second exterior leg member may also comprise third and fourth extensions pivotably attached to the second table portion and a comparable detachable second unitary curvilinear support member.
Typically, wheels are attached to the first and second lower portions of the first and second unitary curvilinear members to allow the rigid central support unit and attached first and second table portions to be easily rolled from place to place when the table portions are in the essentially vertical storage position. To facilitate assembly, the first and second curvilinear members have apertures formed there through that align with apertures in the first and second connecting members. During assembly, the apertures are aligned and removable fasteners that are capable of being tightened and loosened by hand without the necessity for tools are inserted through the apertures and tightened by hand to assemble the rigid support unit.
These and other objects, advantages and features shall hereafter appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which are provided for the purposes of illustration, but not, for limitations of the scope of the present invention.